LOUDONVILLE - Governor Andrew Cuomo holds a huge 36-point lead over Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, 57-21 percent. Cuomo has a better than two-to-one favorability rating, while Astorino remains unknown to more than two-thirds of New Yorkers, according to a Siena College Poll of New York voters released today. The other independently elected statewide office holders – Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, both Democrats – also have large leads over little-known opponents. DiNapoli leads Onondaga County Comptroller Bob Antonacci by 34 points and Schneiderman leads John Cahill by 25 points.

A large majority of voters, 59 percent, want to see the State Senate continue to be led by a coalition of Democrats and Republicans after the election. By a 53-36 percent margin, voters want to see the Independent Democratic Conference continue to partner with the Republicans rather than the Democrats, and by a 55-38 percent margin, they want Cuomo to stay out of senate races, rather than help Democrats gain control of the Senate.

Slightly more than one-quarter of voters say they are better off today than four years ago, while a little less than one-quarter say they are worse off and half say they are about the same. When it comes to New York, one-third say the state is better off than it was four years ago, one-quarter say it’s worse and 40 percent say the same.

“There are five months till Election Day,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg. “No race is over in June. This is a snapshot of all registered voters, not just those likely to vote in November. All true. But true too are two other facts: Astorino has a huge gap to close, and it’s hard to beat a popular incumbent when you face a two-to-one party disadvantage and you are unknown to two-thirds of voters, including 70 percent of your own party.”

Cuomo’s favorability rating is 63-31 percent (up from 57-38 percent in April) and his job performance is up to 49-50 percent (from 45-54 percent). By a 57-35 percent margin, voters say they are prepared to re-elect Cuomo compared to preferring ‘someone else’ (50-41 percent in April). Astorino has an 18-12 percent favorability rating, with 69 percent having no opinion (18-16-66 percent in April).

“When it comes to which candidate voters identify with on issues, they clearly line up with Cuomo,” Greenberg said. “Whether economic issues – like making New York more business friendly or instituting policies to create new jobs – or issues such as improving education, medical marijuana or the SAFE Act, a majority say their position is closer to Cuomo’s. Strong pluralities are with Cuomo on combating corruption and the Dream Act. Only between 13 and 21 percent of voters say they’re with Astorino on any of these issues.

Voters Want Cuomo Out of Senate Races; the IDC to Stay with Republicans; and a Continued Coalition

“New York voters say they like the State Senate just the way it is right now, with a bipartisan coalition of Republicans and Democrats in control,” Greenberg said. “Only 22 percent want the Democrats in control after the November election, including only 37 percent of Democrats. Even fewer, 16 percent, want the Republicans in control. A strong majority, 59 percent – including 56 percent of Democrats, 53 percent of Republicans and a whopping 70 percent of independents – want a bipartisan coalition to continue leading the Senate.”